Cotton-chopper



(No Model.) 4 2 SheetsSheet 1.

G. W. MURRAY. I

COTTON CHOPPER. No. 520,888. Patented June 5, 1894.

Murray,

v (No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

G. W. MURRAY. COTTON CHOPPER.

No. 520,888. Patented June 5, 1894.

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nnnnnnnnnn nn GEORGE W. MURRAY, OF REMBERT, SOUTH CAROLINA.

COTTON-CHOPPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 520,888, dated June 5,1894. Application filed $eptember 15,1893. Serial No. 485,610. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. MURRAY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Rembert, in the county of Sumter and State of SouthCarolina, have invented a new and useful Cotton-Chopper, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to cotton choppers; and the objects in view are toproduce a cheap and simple machine adapted to chop rows of cotton, thusbringing the plants to stands,-

and to so construct the machine as to simultaneously form the rows withthe chopping operation, and to provide for an adjustment of the machine,whereby stands of different sizes may be produced.

With these and other objects in View the invention consists in certainfeatures of construction hereinafter specified and particularly pointedout in the claim.

Referring to the drawings:Figure 1 is a perspective view of acotton-chopper embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinalsectional view.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in both figures of thedrawings.

In the practice of my invention I employ the oblong framework comprisingthe opposite longitudinal frame-bars 1 connected at their front and rearends by the usual crossbars 2 and 3 respectively, and between the samewith the intermediate cross-bars 4 and 5. Any suitable draft-appliance,as for in-- stance a bail 6, may be employed at the front end of themachine.

Various means may be provided for supporting the framework, but in thepresent instance I employ rear ground-wheels 7 and a vfrontcaster-wheel8. The ground-wheels 7 are mounted upon the opposite ends of a rotatableaxle 9 which is journaled in the opposite frame-bars 1. The caster-wheel8 is journaled in the lower end of a forked shank 10, which is swiveledin a bearing-eye 11 and 15 and the same is engaged by the forkedend 16of a hand-lever 17 that is pivoted or fulcrumed upon a yoke 18 thatstraddles the axle, and has its ends bolted to the cross-bars 5 and 3.By means of this lever it will be obvious that the master-gear may moveupon the axle, whereby it may be thrown into and out of operativeengagement with a hereinafter described gear or pinion.

In bearings formed in the cross-bars 4 and 5 and in longitudinalalignment with each other there is journaled a short longitudinal shaft19 having collars 20 adjacent to the bearings, whereby it is maintainedin position.

The rear end of 'the shaft has removably secured thereto, by a suitablebinding-bolt 21, a pinion 22, which engages with andis driven by amaster-gear 14. Theshort shaft19 is furthermore provided with a mortise23, and into the same is let one end of a chopping arm 24, the samebeing adjustable in the mortise by means of a binding screw The armcarries at its lower end a hoe 26, the same being disposed at such anglewith relation to the arm 24: as to cause it to approach the upon therock-shaft 29, and for this purpose are provided with rectangular eyesfor fitting the shaft which is likewise rectangular. Binding-bolts 3eserve to secure the hangers in position at any desired points on theshaft.

A metal bar 35 is arranged upon the front face of the rear cross-bar 3,and is provided with a series of vertical recesses 36, any two of whichare occupied by depending standards 37 which are secured in position bymeans of binding-bolts 38 passed through perforations formed in a frontclamping-bar 39 whose opposite ends are bolted to the frame-bars 1 asindicated at 40. Pivoted' as at 41 to the lower ends of the standards 37is a pair of inclined standards 42, the same having sweep-plows 43 attheir lower ends, and these standards 42 have pivoted as at 44 the lowerends of link-bars 45, whose front ends are connected, as at 46, to thelower ends of the standards 33 that depend from the rockshaft 29.

Suitable handles 44 may be mounted upon the frame-bars 1, and inaddition to these, or as a substitute for them, a seat 45 may bearranged over the framework and supported by standards 46, the said seatbeing adapted for the support of the driver and operator.

This completes the construction of the machine, and the operation of thesame is as follows:-When the field has been reached the clutch-lever isswung away from the operator so as to throw the lower end of said leverinward and hence the master-gear 14 into operative engagement with thepinion 22. The axle rotating causes the master-gear to communicatemotion to the pinion 22 which is more rapidly revolving in that it issmaller than the master-gear, and said pinion operates the shaft 19 andrevolves the arm 24 together with the hoe, so that at each time that thehoe is brought into contact with the ground a swath is cut and weeds orcotton removed, and when said hoe is not in contact with the ground thecotton remains standing, so that at intervals swaths will be cut as willbe obvious. The pinion 22 is removable, and

hence larger pinions may be substituted, so that longer intervals willelapse between each cutting operation, and thus the length of the standsproduced will be materially increased.

The sweep-plows following the rotary chopper clean out furrows at eachside of the stand thus chopped, so that as a result the stands completeare formed in rows at regular intervals and of a uniform size. The widthof the stands, it will be observed, may be regulated by adjusting thestandards 37 in the various openings 36, the standards 33 being adjustedon the rock-shaft accordingly.

I do not limit my invention to the preclse details of constructionherein shown and described, but hold that I may vary the same to anydegree and extent within the knowledge of the skilled mechanic.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- In a cotton-chopper, thecombination with the rectangular framework comprising aseries ofcross-bars, a revoluble hoe-carrying shaft and means for operating thesame, of a notched bar secured to the rear cross-bar, a pair ofstandards arranged removably in two of the notches of said bar, aclamping-bar located in front of said standard, a pair of clamping boltspassing through the said clamping-bar and at their inner ends 1mpingedupon the standards, plow-carrying feet pivoted to the lower ends of thestandards, a pair of transversely opposite bearings arranged on theframework in front of the standards, a rock-shaft having dependingrock-arms journaled in the bearings, links pivoted to the lower ends ofthe rock-arms and to intermediate points of the plow-feet, asupporting-lever for the shaft and means for locking the same,substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my ownl have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE W. MURRAY. Vitnesses:

E. G. SIGGERS, W. S. DUVALL.

